Tampa, Fla. — Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. has implemented a series of senior leadership appointments designed to support the company’s ongoing business turnaround, focusing on the Outback Steakhouse brand. “The Bloomin Brands leadership team has broad operational and restaurant experience across diverse consumer facing businesses. As we reinvigorate sales and profit growth in our restaurants, our leaders are committed to our founder’s values of leading growth that is enabled by our people with a passion for guest hospitality,” says Mike Spanos, chief executive officer. “These organizational updates enhance our bench strength, …
Katie Lee
— By Sal Arena — Summer is an ideal time to renew your paved surfaces after the harsh freeze-thaw cycle of winter and even early spring. As temperatures rise and the days get longer, summer brings the perfect opportunity to take stock of your property’s exterior. One area that’s often overlooked until it’s too late? The pavement. After enduring winter’s freeze-thaw cycles, snow removal and salt exposure, asphalt surfaces can take a beating. This is why asphalt sealcoating should be at the top of your maintenance list right now. Sealcoating …
Katy, Texas — Academy Sports + Outdoors has appointed Brandy Treadway to the role of executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. She will oversee all enterprise legal, compliance and risk management functions supporting the company’s corporate, distribution centers and retail initiatives. Most recently, Treadway served as senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary for RumbleOn, Inc., based in Irving, Texas, and was previously a corporate partner at Martin Powers & Counsel, PLLC. She also served as senior vice president, general counsel & secretary at JCPenney. …
Atlanta — Ascent Hospitality Management, franchisor to Huddle House and Perkins American Food Co., has promoted Nicholas Mason to chief financial officer. In this role, Mason will oversee financial operations for Ascent, including strategic financial planning, capital management, and supporting the company’s long term growth strategy. Formerly Ascent’s vice president of finance, Mason joined the company in October 2024 and has played a pivotal role in strengthening Ascent’s financial infrastructure. He brings more than 15 years of experience in restaurant finance, with previous leadership roles at Papa Johns and Craftwork …
Phoenix — PetSmart, a leading omnichannel pet retailer, has appointed Jesica Duarte as executive vice president and chief commercial officer. In this role, Duarte will oversee merchandising, proprietary brands, merchandise planning & allocation, digital and marketing organizations at PetSmart. She joins PetSmart from Albertsons. “Jesica is a strategic and growth-minded leader, with an impressive career tenure working across successful retail brands,” says Ken Hicks, PetSmart’s president and CEO. Duarte has more than 30 years of leadership experience, having worked for some of the world’s most recognized brands across retail, grocery, …
Knoxville, Tenn. — Smalls Sliders, a leading cheeseburger slider brand growing nationwide, has signed its first-ever development agreement in Tennessee. The multi-unit deal will bring four locations to the Knoxville metro region with Tennessee-based entrepreneur Blake McDavid, a multi-unit franchise owner and commercial real estate investor. This agreement officially marks Smalls Sliders’ entry into the Tennessee market. McDavid is actively identifying real estate throughout the Knoxville area and plans to open the first of his four locations by fall 2026. “Blake represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking operator we look …
Oak Brook, Ill. — Ace Hardware, the world’s largest hardware cooperative, has opened its new Retail Support Center (RSC) in Kansas City, Mo. The new facility spans more than 1.5 million square feet, measuring a half-mile from end to end. It represents a major investment in Ace’s continued growth and commitment to supporting its network of independent retailers through best-in-class logistics and supply chain efficiency. “This new 1.5 million-square-foot facility in Kansas City is more than just a building — it’s a symbol of what hard work, purpose and servant-hearted …
Charlotte, N.C. — Skiptown, a first-of-its-kind, tech-enabled pet care facility offering dog daycare, boarding, full service grooming, and a bar & park featuring indoor and outdoor off-leash play, is gearing up for national growth with a new leadership team in place. Seasoned executive Mike Rotondo has joined the organization as chief executive officer, and he named Molly Fisher as chief financial officer and Kristen Risby as head of marketing & communications. Skiptown is an emerging brand that caters to pups and their people. The brand currently has locations in Atlanta; …
St. Paul, Minn. — Ecolab Inc., a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, has launched Ecolab® RushReady™, a new AI-powered program within its Ecolab® KitchenIQ™ platform. Designed to help restaurant leaders improve shift performance and profitability, RushReady combines real-time data, intelligent recommendations and human coaching to tackle the complexities of daily operations and elevate the overall experience for guests. The engagement begins with a connection into each restaurant’s unique data sources, enabling the platform to work on transforming back-of-house operations through: • RushReady AI-driven …
Jersey City, N.J. — Onyx Partners of Boston has entered into a binding purchase and sale agreement to acquire 119 JCPenney stores from Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust, a real estate investment trust created as part of JCPenney’s 2020 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, for $947 million. The sale price represents roughly $8 million per store property. The portfolio, which totals nearly 16 million square feet across 34 states, is net leased to JCPenney under a long term master lease with Penney Intermediate Holdings LLC. The all-cash sale is scheduled …